Man convicted of molesting donkey arrested on unrelated charge

Published: Friday, January 18, 2013 at 7:34 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, January 18, 2013 at 7:34 a.m.

A man on probation for sexual activity with a miniature donkey is back in jail on unrelated charges.

Carlos R. Romero, 32, was arrested Thursday night on a warrant for dealing in stolen property and violation of Florida’s pawnbroker act, according to Ocala Police Department officials. He is accused of selling 16 stolen train batteries.

On Dec. 14, Romero accepted a plea offer from the State Attorney’s Office for a year of probation and a $200 fine, avoiding jail at the time. He pleaded guilty to sexual activity with a miniature donkey named Doodle.

Since then, Romero said, he has been living in the woods or his 1981 Ford F-150 pickup and eating food from Dumpsters. He said he didn’t know he had a warrant for his arrest and thinks the charges are bogus.

In an interview at the jail, Romero said he found four batteries on the side of the road on Monday afternoon, placed them in his truck and took them to a recycling company, where he received a little more than $100.

Romero said he needed the money to pay his car insurance. When he was booked into the jail, he only had 92 cents, half of which went to repay charges incurred during his previous visit.

“I took them in for scrap. I’m trying to survive. I’m homeless,” Romero said.

As part of his plea deal, Romero was ordered to undergo a psychosexual evaluation and possible treatment and HIV and STD testing. Romero cannot have contact with children in a school or playground setting or unsupervised contact with animals.

He was also required to give up the donkey.

“I miss her,” he said.

On Thursday night, OPD watch commander Lt. Corey Taylor said Officer Jason Gurney was conducting a security check at 3101 NW Martin Luther King Ave. and spotted a suspicious vehicle parked near a wooded area, just north of an RV park.

The officer went to check on the vehicle, and a man — later identified Romero — ran away.

OPD officers set up a perimeter and, using a police dog and getting help from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office air unit, were able to take Romero into custody at 10:45 p.m., when he surrendered to authorities.

He was taken to the Marion County Jail once the warrant was verified.

In the dealing-in-stolen-property case, OPD Officer Aaron Messenger met Monday with a Florida Northern Railroad employee in the 1500 block of North Pine Avenue and was told that 16 train batteries were damaged, according to Messenger’s report. The cost to replace the batteries was estimated at $10,880.

Messenger later received a call from the company saying the batteries were now missing. During his investigation, Messenger determined that Romero had sold the batteries to Trademark Metals Recycling for $161.46.

OPD obtained a warrant for his arrest.

“What’s the big deal? I needed the money,” Romero said in the interview at the jail. “I want charges filed against CSX or Northern Railroad for EPA violations. The batteries were spilling acid all over the place.”

Asked if the new charges would violate his probation, Romero said: “So be it.”

<p>A man on probation for sexual activity with a miniature donkey is back in jail on unrelated charges.</p><p>Carlos R. Romero, 32, was arrested Thursday night on a warrant for dealing in stolen property and violation of Florida's pawnbroker act, according to Ocala Police Department officials. He is accused of selling 16 stolen train batteries.</p><p>On Dec. 14, Romero accepted a plea offer from the State Attorney's Office for a year of probation and a $200 fine, avoiding jail at the time. He pleaded guilty to sexual activity with a miniature donkey named Doodle.</p><p>Since then, Romero said, he has been living in the woods or his 1981 Ford F-150 pickup and eating food from Dumpsters. He said he didn't know he had a warrant for his arrest and thinks the charges are bogus.</p><p>In an interview at the jail, Romero said he found four batteries on the side of the road on Monday afternoon, placed them in his truck and took them to a recycling company, where he received a little more than $100.</p><p>Romero said he needed the money to pay his car insurance. When he was booked into the jail, he only had 92 cents, half of which went to repay charges incurred during his previous visit.</p><p>“I took them in for scrap. I'm trying to survive. I'm homeless,” Romero said.</p><p>As part of his plea deal, Romero was ordered to undergo a psychosexual evaluation and possible treatment and HIV and STD testing. Romero cannot have contact with children in a school or playground setting or unsupervised contact with animals.</p><p>He was also required to give up the donkey.</p><p>“I miss her,” he said.</p><p>On Thursday night, OPD watch commander Lt. Corey Taylor said Officer Jason Gurney was conducting a security check at 3101 NW Martin Luther King Ave. and spotted a suspicious vehicle parked near a wooded area, just north of an RV park.</p><p>The officer went to check on the vehicle, and a man — later identified Romero — ran away.</p><p>OPD officers set up a perimeter and, using a police dog and getting help from the Marion County Sheriff's Office air unit, were able to take Romero into custody at 10:45 p.m., when he surrendered to authorities.</p><p>He was taken to the Marion County Jail once the warrant was verified.</p><p>In the dealing-in-stolen-property case, OPD Officer Aaron Messenger met Monday with a Florida Northern Railroad employee in the 1500 block of North Pine Avenue and was told that 16 train batteries were damaged, according to Messenger's report. The cost to replace the batteries was estimated at $10,880.</p><p>Messenger later received a call from the company saying the batteries were now missing. During his investigation, Messenger determined that Romero had sold the batteries to Trademark Metals Recycling for $161.46.</p><p>OPD obtained a warrant for his arrest.</p><p>“What's the big deal? I needed the money,” Romero said in the interview at the jail. “I want charges filed against CSX or Northern Railroad for EPA violations. The batteries were spilling acid all over the place.”</p><p>Asked if the new charges would violate his probation, Romero said: “So be it.”</p><p><i>Contact Austin L. Miller at 867-4118 or austin.miller@starbanner.com.</i></p>